19 Dec - 31 Dec 2012 Bangkok


Kingdom of Thailand aka The Land of Conditional Smiles
Bangkok aka Krung Thep Maha Nakhon aka The Big Mango
Khlong San
58 Soi 1, Sarapee 3, Krungthonburi Road
Aiya Residence & Sport Club +6628621611 info@aiyaresidence.com
Economic double-room studio (no. 603) with kitchenette and air-con for THB 9,000.- or US$ 294.- per month (plus THB 6.85/kWh and THB 21.4/cbm for utilities), including free access to a large, 30m-long swimming pool (big enough to do laps) and a heated out-door Jacuzzi.
Friendly, helpful and very professional staff.
Wifi for THB 550.- or US$ 18.00 per month.
Beer: 640-ml bottles of cold Archa Lager Beer (c. 5.4 % alc./vol.) for THB 38.- or US$ 1.25 per large bottle from any of the 7-Eleven convenience stores in our neighbourhood.


Click below for an interactive road map of the Aiya Residence & Sports Club in Bangkok, which we would highly recommend, and for directions:









Dialling it down a notch, recharging our batteries and enjoying down-time from this year’s intense travels, thus catching up on some long overdue admin work (e.g. answering emails, editing photos, making money), doing laps in the hotel’s sparkling swimming pool twice a day and enjoying life’s simple pleasures in Bangkok, one of Southeast Asia’s most liveable cities: (i) pigging into genuine Thai street food in our non-touristy suburb Khlong San (our newly discovered favourites: Yum Woon Sen Goong [glass-noodle salad with a mix of blanched seafood] and Yum Lap Phla [minced/chopped grilled catfish with mint, lemongrass and chillies, served with sticky rice]), (ii) (window-)shopping at Bangkok’s busy markets and glitzy shopping malls and (iii) socialising and having fun with friends, old and new, from Thailand and from other regions in this world; many thanks for being great buddies and a Happy New Year 2013 to you all!





Celebrating together with our close friend Mandy from England our scheduled arrival in the netherworld (at least according to the Mayan prophecy about the end of the world as we know it) on the evening of the 22nd of December with a few Changs and a delicious pescetarian/vegetarian hot pot aka Thai suki at the nearby MK Restaurant +6624395812.



Exploring Bangkok’s traditional suburbs on the Thonburi side of the serpentine Chao Phraya River thus (i) enjoying the flamboyant colours, sounds and aromas of local markets, (ii) finding serenity and diversion in centuries-old Buddhist temples (“… everything in moderation, including moderation …”) and (iii) meeting the hard-working and hard-partying locals in their everyday life and during their turbulent festivals (e.g. during King Taksin the Great’s enthronement anniversary).



Matt: Coming to grips with my first haemorrhagic stroke, which occurred quickly and like a bolt from the blue, and observing very interesting, but lasting symptoms: (i) disequilibrium, (ii) paralysis on one side of the body and trouble with walking, (iii) cognitive confusion and trouble with understanding plus slurred speaking (even without beer); shit happens.
“What is that feeling when you're driving away from people and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing? - It's the too-huge world vaulting us, and it's good-bye. But we lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies...”
Bidding adieu to the year 2012 CE, a really interesting year with many miles covered and much beer consumed, and planning our upcoming travels for the new year 2013 CE, our thirteenth’s year of life as free and independent PTs: Southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo, South Korea and Japan, Kalimantan and Taiwan.

“Not all those who wander are lost.” 




Click below for more blog posts about our visits to Bangkok
01 Oct - 29 Oct 2014 Bangkok
13 Mar - 18 Apr 2013 Bangkok
01 Jan - 22 Jan 2013 Bangkok
08 Feb - 06 Mar 2012 Bangkok
01 Mar - 01 May 2010 Bangkok

Click below for a summary of this year's travels

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